“Atlanta is the largest, most successful airport in the world, and anything that would harm that in terms of trying to move it for political gain between the city and state, we’re opposed,” Bastian said after a talk with Virgin Group founder Richard Branson at a Junior Achievement of Georgia event Wednesday morning. “We think the operation with the city runs quite efficiently.”

“No question that the issues around corruption and some of the political challenges of managing a large municipal commercial operation require further improvement,” Bastian said. “I’m not certain why the state is not going to have the same issues on that that the city has.”

“We have the crown jewel in air travel right here in Hartsfield-Jackson and I think the city should take great pride in what they’ve built and we’d be opposed to any change in the governance structure,” Bastian said.

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